As the Impact Network celebrates its 10th anniversary, cofounder Bishop Wayne T. Jackson is looking to the future — one with more viewers as he expands to additional digital platforms.
And he’s aiming to make a difference this presidential election season through his network as he tried to do four years ago and ended up engulfed in a controversy revolving around Donald Trump.
The network, found on cable and satellite television systems across the U.S. in the Bahamas and parts of Africa, now airs in 90 million homes. Jackson and his wife, Dr. Beverly Y. Jackson, who run Great Faith Ministries International on Grand River in Detroit, launched the broadcast network with $150,000 investment they put up to get their Detroit business going. It started off airing in 200,000 homes.
“It was during the height of the recession and banks weren’t exactly giving out loans to start-ups,” said Bishop Jackson, president of the network. His wife is co-owner of the company.
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Impact is described as the only African American-founded and independently operated inspirational TV network. It features programs and ministries from well-known thought leaders, entertainers and ministers such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. and the Rev. Al Sharpton.
Jackson and his wife also hold ministries at their church, which has over 3,000 members. That is how their mission to start a network began. They were looking to have their ministries broadcast to a greater audience and began checking out networks. The result of their search: a sea of white.
“We didn’t see much in the way of African-American ownership of networks,” he said. Jackson, who owns real estate and has started other companies in Detroit, decided to take the plunge and blaze a new trail.
“We felt it was important for blacks to have ownership, especially when it came to media and the messages that influence our communities,” Jackson said. “We celebrate all cultures and all people but Impact is a direct expression of our culture from the black inspirational perspective.
“Faith has always been a strong pillar in the black community and has provided hope and inspiration through the generations,” he said. The Impact Network offers programming and content to uplift African Americans and others through music, ministries, reality talk and more.
Jackson and his wife, married more than 40 years, have nine children, and 26 grandchildren. Five of their offspring work for them and they’ve hired outside executives as well.
With a bigger broadcast imprint, Jackson’s stock as a preacher and orator has also grown. He’s been asked to provide inspirational words by folks including Trump, who asked him to give the benediction during his 2017 presidential inauguration.
Politics and the pulpit have come together for him at other times. Former Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry once visited Jackson’s church and Jackson' been invited to the White House by presidents George W. Bush and William Jefferson Clinton.
It was four years ago when Jackson found himself in the spotlight as Trump took him up on his offer to be interviewed at Jackson's church. The conversation would be taped and air on Jackson's network. (Jackson also extended an invite to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton though she did not accept).
Word leaked that Jackson provided questions ahead of time to the Trump campaign. Pundits charged foul as that is a no-no in a legitimate interview when you’re trying to become leader of the free world. Some members of his church also were not happy the Republican candidate was being interviewed at their church as they weren’t fans of the reality TV star. Jackson responded by announcing he would create new questions that he would not share with the Trump campaign. The interview was taped and aired without much more fanfare.
Jackson was later invited to give the benediction at Trump’s 2017 presidential inauguration.
Flash forward to 2020, which pits Trump against former Vice President Joe Biden, and Jackson has not extended invites for interviews in this current race.
But he is keeping a watchful eye on issues affecting African Americans.
Jackson’s also trying to figure out how to take advantage of the dizzying array of new digital platforms to help grow his network. In another change, he’s planning to start selling ads on his network. To date, his business model has been speaker’s paying a fee to put their show on his network and a fee from cable and satellite providers for his providing programming. He said his network is making “tens of millions” of dollars, though he would not be more specific.
There’s little doubt he’s living a comfortable life. Case in point, he and wife sold their home, a 35,000 square foot historic Bishop's Mansion in Palmer Woods, three years ago for a reported $2.5 million. It was previously owned by former Detroit Pistons John Salley and the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Keeping an eye on change is his focus.
“I want to make sure we get don’t get caught up like Kmart, or Sears or Blockbuster,“ he said, retailers that found themselves in trouble. “We want to make sure we are keeping up with the times.”
Born in Inkster, Jackson was the eighth of his parents' nine children, got involved with the wrong crowd early on and found himself involved with drugs and other things that did not lend themselves to a healthy or meaningful life.
But he eventually found his way. He began ministering in 1979 and became a pastor in 1986. He met and married his wife in 1980. Because of his own redemption, he’s put a focus on helping those in need, those who were incarcerated and looking for a lifeline.
He sees his network through that same prism. Between the COVID-19 crisis (in Michigan, African Americans represent 14% of the state’s population but over 40% of deaths from the virus), to social justice and reform, to sky high unemployment, many are looking for help and inspiration.
I asked his thoughts on some leaders here involved in those issues. Jackson applauded the efforts of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Detroit Police Chief James Craig. He gave praise to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has taken tremendous heat for making tough and sometimes unpopular decisions to keep people safe as she grapples with reopening certain businesses.
Jackson’s also set a new marker this election season: he wants to engage and energize African Americans and others as he launches a Get Out the Vote campaign on his network.
“We will be doing special programming in October with Ed Gordon who will moderate and talk with major black leaders throughout the country and discuss how important it is to vote and to make sure our voices are heard,” he said.
“People died, went to jail, gave up their freedom, so we could vote,” Jackson said. “Our message is not for, or against, a particular party. We need people to know — blacks, whites, Asians, everyone — how important it is to make their voices heard. It’s a privilege.”
Contact Carol Cain: 313-222-6732 or clcain@cbs.com. She is senior producer/host of “Michigan Matters,” which airs 11:30 a.m. Sundays on CBS 62. See Pashon Murray, Andrew Blake, Vera Ambrose and Jeff Simek on Sunday’s show talking about the pandemic’s impact on business.
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